mill1

any of various processing or manufacturing machines, esp one that grinds, presses, or rolls

4.

any of various small hand mills used for grinding pepper, salt, or coffee for domestic purposes See also coffee mill, pepper mill

5.

a hard roller for impressing a design, esp in a textile-printing machine or in a machine for printing banknotes

6.

a system, institution, etc, that influences people or things in the manner of a factory: going through the educational mill

7.

an unpleasant experience; ordeal (esp in the phrases goorbe put through the mill)

8.

a fist fight

9.

run of the mill, ordinary or routine

verb

10.

(transitive) to grind, press, or pulverize in or as if in a mill

11.

(transitive) to process or produce in or with a mill

12.

to cut or roll (metal) with or as if with a milling machine

13.

(transitive) to groove or flute the edge of (a coin)

14.

(intransitive; often foll by about or around) to move about in a confused manner

15.

(usually transitive) (rare) to beat (chocolate, etc)

16.

(archaic, slang) to fight, esp with the fists

Derived Forms

millable, adjective

Word Origin

Old English mylen from Late Latin molīna a mill, from Latin mola mill, millstone, from molere to grind

mill2

/mɪl/

noun

1.

a US and Canadian monetary unit used in calculations, esp for property taxes, equal to one thousandth of a dollar

Word Origin

C18: short for Latin mīllēsimum a thousandth (part)

Mill

/mɪl/

noun

1.

James. 1773–1836, Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist. He expounded Bentham's utilitarian philosophy in Elements of Political Economy (1821) and Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind (1829) and also wrote a History of British India (1817–18)

2.

his son, John Stuart. 1806–73, English philosopher and economist. He modified Bentham's utilitarian philosophy in Utilitarianism (1861) and in his treatise On Liberty (1859) he defended the rights and freedom of the individual. Other works include A System of Logic (1843) and Principles of Political Economy (1848)

"building fitted to grind grain," Old English mylen "a mill" (10c.), an early Germanic borrowing from Late Latin molina, molinum "mill" (source of French moulin, Spanish molino), originally fem. and neuter of molinus "pertaining to a mill," from Latin mola "mill, millstone," related to molere "to grind," from PIE *mele-, *mel- "to crush, grind," with derivatives referring to ground material and tools for grinding (cf. Greek myle "mill;" see mallet).

Also from Late Latin molina, directly or indirectly, are German Mühle, Old Saxon mulin, Old Norse mylna, Danish mølle, Old Church Slavonic mulinu. Broader sense of "grinding machine" is attested from 1550s. Other types of manufacturing machines driven by wind or water, whether for grinding or not, began to be called mills by early 15c. Sense of "building fitted with industrial machinery" is from c.1500.

n.2

"one-tenth cent," 1786, an original U.S. currency unit but now used only for tax calculation purposes, shortening of Latin millesimum "one-thousandth," from mille "a thousand" (see million). Formed on the analogy of cent, which is short for Latin centesimus "one hundredth" (of a dollar).

v.2

"to keep moving round and round in a mass," 1874 (implied in milling), originally of cattle, from mill (n.1) on resemblance to the action of a mill wheel. Related: Milled.